Maou no Hajimekata Volume 1 Extra Chapter 4
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Translator: DarkHeartedAlchemist
Extra Chapter 4: Tying the Demon Lord’s Loose Ends
*Events described in this Chapter take place after the epilogue*
– 1 –
The Star Core worked by absorbing the energy from the light of the sun.
Focusing her gaze at it, Melizand sung a holy song in which she was calling out to the sacred spirits.
Just like a thread vowen out of light, her song reached out towards the heavens to and spun around all creation.
「 Well that was pretty outstanding. I hardly recognized your voice… boss.」
He said exactly the same thing that he used to say in the past.
「 Have I became more beautiful?」
「 Yeah, like a flower in full bloom.」
It was almost as if the young girls that the 『Immortal』 remembered became someone else entirely. He almost didn’t recognized her, even though he was a Heroic Spirit born from the fragment of her soul. In that sense, he could also be called Melizand’s twin.
「By the way, what’s your current situation? I’m sure that not that much time has passed since then, but are you perhaps still with the Demon Lord?」
「 You called, maggot?」
Seeing the Demon Lord appear from within the shadows, 『Immortal』 twitched instinctively. However, when he saw how his boss was looking at him, he understood what was going on perfectly.
「 I see. You seem to be in good hands now, boss.」
「 Ah…」
The Demon Lord only nodded slightly.
「 You can explain everything in detail, I have plenty of free time to spare to listen. Although significantly less than in the past.」
Melizand laughed happily.
「 If that’s the case, then there’s something that I want you to hear… From now on you’ll be called Zand.」
「 Well that came out of nowhere. Why Zand?」
『Immortal』 asked with a mixed expression.
「 Now I go by Mary, so you’ll be Zand from now on. After all, it would be rude to call you 『Immortal』 all the time.」
She said to him with a smile and a tone that sounded strangely soothing, but did not suit her at the same time.
「 I’ve been worried about you for the last eight years, and this was all that you wanted to say to me?」
When 『Immortal』 asked his question, he was smiling nastily.
「 Yes, I believe that’s pretty much it.」
「 And you summoned me just to tell me that?」
「 Yes.」
「 Ahahahahahahaha! Summoning a Heroic Spirit just for something like that, I can’t believe you! Truly, this is too much for me to handle!」
『Immortal』… no, Zand burst out into a mad laughter without holding anything back.
No words were further needed between them. For they managed to finally convey their feelings to one another.
– 2 –
An office looking room fit for a lord co clean and tidy that there was not even a spec of dust on the floor. The painful silence filling the air was interrupted only by the sound of pen moving across the paper at a steady pace. Stopping the movements of his hand, Toskan, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Grandiera lifted his head.
The outside of the room he was in became really noisy, and he could swear that he heard loud footsteps and howling. What could possibly be going on out there? He picked up his cane and stood up, when he was hit by the strange feeling of déjà vu. He heard those footsteps before. But before he could recall to whom exactly those footsteps might have belonged, the doors to his office were kicked down in a magnificent manner.
「 Is Toskan here?!」
Outraged beyond words, Toskan’s mouth flew agape in reaction to the person who shouted out his name so rudely.
「 Oh, guess I’ve done it again.」
There was no mistaking it. That way of kicking down the door without a care in the world, and that rouge-like grin…
His hair and beard became all white, but that was undoubtedly the king whom Toskan served his entire life: The King of Heroes, Wolfedear in the flesh!
「 Your… Majesty?」
「 Sorry to disappoint, you, but it’s just a mimic channeling my voice and thoughts.」
Then the spear-carrying soldiers stormed into the room. Toskan felt a headache similar to those he suffered all those years ago, and waved his hand at the soldiers.
「 Stand down, everyone, everything is in order. He is a guest of mine, after all.」
「 B-But…!」
「 I said stand down. He is not our enemy, at least for now. Your Majesty, let us sit down.」
Obeying Toskan’s words, the soldier’s left the room.
「 I see you’re still as uptight as ever, Toskan!」
「 If you could please refrain from shouting so loudly as to not attract any more soldier’s then I’d be extremely grateful. It’s been a while, Your Majesty.」
Wolfe stopped Toskan as he tried to kneel.
「 There’s no need for you to do that anymore. I’m no longer your king, just plain Wolfedear, a ghost of the past. Feel free to speak freely, Toskan.」
「 Is that so? Then, if you’ll excuse me…」
Toskan stood up and inhaled heavily.
「 YOU DAMNED, HOPELESS IDIOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!」
And he hit Wolfe in the head with his cane. In contact with his body, it broke in half like a simple twig.
「 Doing whatever the hell you wanted to do and then dying just like that, just how big of an idiot can you actually be?! Didn’t you thought for even a second how the people would feel? How I would feel?」
「 I’m sorry.」
Wolfe bowed his head down deeply. When he saw that, tears came out of Toskan’s eyes.
「 Idiot… you complete and total idiot! To think… to think that my dream would finally come true…!」
「 Dream?」
「 It was my dream for you to one day lower your head and apologize at least once!」
He could still remember it clearly when he closed his eyes. The image of the King of Heroes Wolfe, who was reckless, stupid, and braver than anyone. It was the job of Toskan, the calm and intelligent sorcerer, to always worry about the little things. He never apologized even for putting himself or his friends in danger, and never once bowed his head to anyone.
That was Wolfe before he became king. Before princess Yudora became his wife. And when the three of them traveled together and were as close as the real blood-related family. Those times still shone brightly in his heart as the golden era of his youth.
「 While we’re on the subject, could you explain what’s this whole ruckus was about?」
「 Well, I really wanted to see you, and I also wanted to bring Yunis and Zait with me…」
「 Wait, Yunis and His Highness the prince are still alive?!」
「 Well, technically she is now more like a ghost than a normal human, but they both have their physical bodies and changed greatly since the time when they were living here.」
「 So they are alive!」
Acting on his emotions, Toskan grabbed the former king by his clothes.
「 Well yes, but I’ll be damned if you’re not kinda obsessed with them.」
「 No sh*t Sherlock! Where are they?! If they are together with the Demon Lord, then we should…」
「 Oi, calm down!」
Wolfe shouted at Toskan and put his hand on his shoulder.
「 Don’t worry. Yunis is safe, and moreover, happier then she’s ever been. Zait is hell-bent on protecting her, and as for me, well, let’s say that there is a little hurdle that prevents me from moving freely, so…」
「 Hurdle? Is something preventing your body from moving?」
「 Not preventing per se, but… let’s just say that the next four months are going to be rather hectic for me.」
Toskan’s eyes widened in surprise.
「 It can’t be….」
「 Demon Lord’s kids. He personally tasked me with watching over them.」
Toskan could feel his blood pressure rising from the excitement caused by all those revelations, but Wolfe’s next words chilled him to the bone.
「 And those are going to be Yunis’ children.」
Tears came out of Toskan’s eyes and trickled down his wrinkled face. When Yudora died during childbirth, he felt as if the world was pulled right out from under him. When he heard that It was Wolfe’s and Zaitreed’s destiny to live and die as Heroic Spirits, all he could do was curse the cruelty of Heaven. But this…
This truly felt as if the Demon Lord himself reached out to him with a helping hand.
「 Your Majesty. When Yunis’ children are going to be born, I want you to take me to The Demon Lord so I can meet him and offer him my sincerest gratitude.」
「 Don’t be absurd! Why go to him when we could bring him and the kids here? We could even throw a grand celebration while we’re at it! A feast for the ages! Man it’s been forever since I had one of those!」
「 Oh, but about Lady Yunis’ children! Is there anything that I can help you with?! Do you have enough doctors and healers with you?! I will never allow for a tragedy like that of Yudora to repeat itself ever again! Ahh! Your Majesty, change of plans! I’m going to write a message for the Demon Lord, so if you could just wait a few seconds…!」
Wolfe could not help it but to laugh out loud. Maybe it might’ve been better if he kept his mouth shut about this whole thing with Yunis to avoid unnecessary scenes, but oh well, what’s done is done, no use complaining about it.
In the now silent room, only the sound of pen moving across the paper at a steady pace could be heard. Only this time, its movements seemed to be much more livelier.
– 3 –
「 Yunis, you sure everything’s okay? You’re not feeling unwell?」
「 Ugh, big brother, that’s the fourteenth time you ask that very same question today. I’m fine, don’t worry.」
Lying on a bed filled with soft cushions, Yunis told Zaitreed off in an irritated voice.
「 Geez, my belly’s not even that big and yet I have to lie in a bed like this because it’s apparently 『good for my body』 or something.」
「 W-Well, but…」
「 I appreciate your worrying, but you can stop it already. We have people like Olivia, who experienced many births up until now, and our medical staff is really amazing. You might even say that I’m going to have the safest birth in the world!」
Yunis said as she quickly got out of bed. Although she told her brother not to worry too much, it would be a lie to say that she wasn’t anxious herself. She tried to restrain herself from moving too much because she was unsure of how her being a spirit could affect the baby in her womb, but now that the morning sickness cleared up, she felt a little bit better.
「 So even a Heroic Spirit like me can actually give birth, huh…」
Stroking her belly gently, Yunis whispered to herself. Even if Aur placed his protective spells on it, it remains a fact that her body was dead for several months. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she made peace with the thought that maternity was well beyond her reach.
For the last eight years, she undergone regular checkups, but nothing seemed to change. And then suddenly, just when Aur finished creating his new dungeon, she learned that she actually was pregnant. It was as if the baby wanted to celebrate its father’s greatest achievement.
「 If there’s anything you need, anything at all, just say it, and I’ll go get it even from the ends of the world.」
「 Yeah yeah, sure.」
It was refreshing to see her stupid older brother run around like a headless chicken, but Yunis was beginning to feel like he’s been getting in her way, so she drove him out of the room. Usually he would have barked something right back at her, but today he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
「 I’m sorry.」
He tried to say it, but the words just didn’t wanted to leave his mouth. Eight years. It’s already been eight years and he was still unable to say such simple words to her.
「 Are you happy right now?」
Yunis looked at him like he was some kind of idiot. For a moment he regretted asking such a stupid question.
「 Of course I am!」
But then he was knocked off his feet by his sister’s radiant smile. At this moment, it shone brighter than the sun.
「 I’m going to give birth to my beloved’s child. My big brother and father are here with me. All my friends are here for me. Why wouldn’t I be happy about it?」
She truly looked like a happiest person in the entire world.
And yet he killed her.
「 And it’s all thanks to you, big brother. Thank you.」
Zaitreed was so surprised that he thought his head’s going to blow.
「 Why are you telling me this? I have…」
「 Killed you. Is that what you want to say?」
Yunis asked him, and continued to smile.
「 You were just following father’s teachings.」
Still not convinced, Zaitreed nodded.
「 Falling in love with your enemy, refusing to kill him, losing your memories, being manipulated, betrayed? If you hadn’t done what you did, I might’ve killed Aur myself. By killing me, you’ve changed my fate. Thanks to you, I am where I am today.」
Yunis continued to talk while keeping her hands on her chest, as if she held something very important.
「 And that is why now I can ask this of you without feeling any ill intentions: was killing me… painful?」
Finally he felt like he would be able to tell her that which he was unable to for the last eight years. After all they’ve been through, he could finally be honest with his beloved little sister.
They always loved and cared for each other, there was no doubt of that. But at some point a rift was created between them, a divide that prevented them ascertaining their true, honest feelings.
「 Of course it was!」
Zaitreed could not help himself and hugged Yunis tightly. When he held her in his arms, she seemed so small to him, so fragile.
「 You’re my only sister! There’s no way it wouldn’t have been hard! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!!!」
「 Yeah.」
He paid close attention not to hurt her and her child, and he hugged her into his chest. That way, he was unable to see a small tear that went down her cheek.
– 4 –
At the outskirts of a village at the border of the kingdom once known as Figlia, now a part of the Demon Lord’s territory. A small stone tablet was placed at a hill seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
It was a simple tombstone placed so casually as to not attract any attention. In front of that tombstone void of any letters, Spina left a simple bouqet of flowers.
Her face was expressionless and emotionless, there was nothing on it. Nor anger, nor sadness.
「 Sofie…」
Looking behind her, a young woman who was once called Sophia saw a little girl with golden hair.
「 Mari…」
The girl looked at the tombstone and asked:
「 Your mommy?」
「 Indeed.」
That was Spina’s mother’s grave. Because the villagers hated and resented Spina, she and her mother were forced to live outside the village, and due to that her sick, weak-bodied mother was unable to get a proper treatment for her sickness, and ultimately died, blaming her own daughter for all her misfortunes.
「 I hate you, you know? Because you remind me of myself from that time. And I wanted to kill you so many times for it.」
Hearing that sudden confession, Mari didn’t budge an inch. Spina approached her and tightened her hands around the girl’s neck.
「 I also thought about myself the same way.」
「 Wha-?!」
「 Sofi, the truth is… I’ve always hated myself.」
Because she became half-slime, Spina won’t die of old age. She will live much longer than this feeble girl in front of her. It can wait, there’s no need for her to stain her hands with blood just yet.
Putting her hands away from Mari’s neck, Spina decided to address another matter.
「 Logan. I see you’ve come together with her.」
As Spina said that, Mari’s shadow trembled and waved.
「 It’s foolish of you to think that you could hide from my sight.」
「 Shut it!」
Unable to bear it any longer, the red demon jumped out of Mari’s shadow.
「 I, the great lolicon gentleman Logan, won’t tolerate any more insults from any old hag who’s above the sweet and tender age of thirteen! Right, Mari, my angel?」
「 Yup, I like you, Logan. It was super nice of you to carry me all the way here!」
Mari grasped his rigid arm tightly.
「 Oh! My! God! The cuteness! IT’S OVER NINE THOUSAND! GONNA DIE!!!!」
The despicable lolicon seemed to be going through quite the predicament.
「 Oh, that’s perfect then, carry me back as well. Just try not to touch me with those perverted hands of yours, I don’t want master to catch any of your perversion.」
「 Are you all right in the head?! I refuse to carry an old hag like you!」
「 Logan, please? Pretty please?」
「 Ughaaaaaaa! H-how can I say no when my angel asks this of me?」
Screaming happily at Mari who pleaded with both her tiny hands held together, Logan took both of them on his shoulders and departed.
「 Oh, that’s right, I almost forgot.」
Mari turned towards Spina and said with a smile.
「 I’ve always loved you, Sofi!」
「 And I still hate you, thank you very much.」
Spina answered coldly, but Mari’s smile remained unfazed.
「 And I like Lord Aur the most! But you’re right behind him, Sofi!」
Spina raised an eyebrow.
「 I am sure that I love master more than you, brat.」
Mari laughed a little.
「 Yay, so that means you like me the second most! Hurray!」
「 Th-That’s not what I…!」
Spina rebukes her, blushing furiously.
「 By the way, how much you love me, my dear Mari?」
Logan asked the golden haired girl.
Thinking about it for a while, Mari finally answered:
「 About as much as a pebble next to the road!」
「 SO CRUEL!」
Logan cried out while flying through the sky with two people on his back.
The flowers in front of the tombstone were gently blown by the warm wind.
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